The Stomach-less Sisters
This gastric cancer diagnosis at a glance
- Stage at diagnosis
- Stage I
- Biomarkers
- CDH1 mutation
- Sex
- Female
- Treatment
- surgery
- Outcome
- Responding Well
Treatment course, step by step
- She underwent preventive total gastrectomy on May 24, 2016; pathology then revealed Stage I hereditary diffuse gastric cancer.
What happened, in summary
One of two sisters from a family affected by stomach, colorectal, and breast cancer tested positive for a CDH1 mutation in early 2016. The sisters were ages 31 and 34 when they faced the decision together. Their doctors explained that hereditary diffuse gastric cancer could be difficult to detect before it became advanced.
Both sisters underwent preventive total gastrectomy on May 24, 2016. One week later, pathology showed that each sister already had Stage I hereditary diffuse gastric cancer. Neither had outward symptoms, and endoscopy with more than 40 biopsies only 1 month earlier had found no cancer.
After surgery, she adjusted to weight loss, different eating habits, and individual recovery challenges. She and her sister focused on their children, family, and raising awareness and funds for better hereditary gastric-cancer screening.
Where this story comes from
This is a lay summary of an account first published by No Stomach For Cancer. Read the original in full
How we source and attribute stories Accuracy and limitations
These are lay summaries of published cancer stories, for information only. No two cancers behave the same way, and nothing here predicts your own diagnosis or replaces advice from your oncology team. Read the full disclaimer